Aerosol can end with reinforced curl



P 23, 1969 N. s. KHOURY 3,468,452

AEROSOL CAN END WITH REINFORCED CURL Filed Nov. 27. 1967 N\CK S. KHOURY ATTORNEYS 4154A 642;, AhZF Q QMW United States Patent 3,468,452 AEROSOL CAN END WITH REINFORCED CURL Nick S. Khoury, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 685,865 Int. Cl. B65d 7/42 US. Cl. 220-67 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is directed to an aerosol can end defined by an end panel terminating in a radially outwardly, downwardly directed curl which is reinforced in a manner to prevent distortion thereof when a conventional valve cup is crimpingly secured thereto. The reinforcing means is a plurality of reinforcing beads spaced along the periphery of the curl which imparts a wave-like configuration thereto defined by alternating lands and valleys. The lands further function as means for venting propellant which might otherwise be entrapped within the curl to atmosphere after a charging operation.

The usual aerosol container includes a container body to which is generally secured a can end terminating in a radially outwardly downwardly and inwardly directed curl. The function of the curl is that of serving as a support for a conventional valve-carrying valve cup which generally includes an annular channel which receives and is crimped upon the curl. Such conventional curls have been found to include two distinct disadvantages, the first of which is the tendency of the curl to deflect or distort during the crimping operation. This causes leakers i.e., the escape of propellant after a charging operation between the surfaces of the valve cup and the curl, which when detected result in the financially wasteful discarding of the entire container.

A second disadvantage results from the fact that during a charging operation it is common to cover the entire can end with a propellant charging head which introduces the propellant under pressure into the interior of the can after which the valve cup is crimped thereto. The propellant charging head is, however, spaced radially outwardly of the curl and propellant is not only directed into the container but is also forced into the interior of the curl. Upon the removal of the propellant charging head there is no means provided in conventional aerosol can ends for rapidly venting the propellant within the curl to atmosphere. When such a charged container is later tested for leakers any slight escape of the pressurized propellant outwardly of the curl between the edge thereof and an adjacent edge of the can end would be detected and interpreted as a leaker, again resulting in the finanically wasteful discard of a perfectly satisfactory container.

In keeping with the foregoing it is a primary object of this invention to avoid the noted disadvantages of aerosol containers by providing a container or can end which terminates in a reinforced curl which prevents the curl from distorting upon the performance of the crimping operation, and the reinforced curl being contoured to a generally wave-like configuration defined by alternating land and valley portions whereby each land portion defines venting means for rapidly discharging propellant within the curl to atmosphere.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

ICC

FIGURE 1 is a bottom perspective view of an aerosol can end constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a peripheral curl of the can end being provided with a plurality of reinforcing beads imparting a generally wave-like configuration thereto.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the can end of FIGURE 1 with parts broken away for clarity, and illustrates the manner in which a valve cup is crimped to the reinforced curl.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the can end taken generally along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and more clearly illustrates the equal peripheral spacing of the reinforcing beads along a peripheral edge portion of the curl.

FIGURE 4 is a highly enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 44 of FIGURE 3, and illustrates one of the reinforcing beads defining a valley portion of the curl and an adjacent land portion beneath which propellant within the curl is free to vent to atmosphere.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4, and more clearly illustrates the land and valley portions of the reinforced curl.

A novel can or container end constructed in accordance with this invention is fully illustrated in the drawing, and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The can end 10 is of the conventional dome-like configuration and includes an end panel 11 which is conventionally secured to a generally cylindrical can body '12 by a seam 13. The body 12 is closed at its opposite end by a bottom panel or wall (not shown) which may be an integral portion of the body 12, or a separate end secured thereto by a seam corresponding to the seam 13.

The end panel 11 of the end 10 further includes an annular shoulder 13 having an exterior surface 14. The shoulder 13 is integrally joined by a radius portion 15 to a curl 16 which is directed respectively upwardly, radially outwardly, downwardly and radially inwardly to define a chamber 17. The curl '16 terminates adjacent the shoulder 13 in a peripheral edge portion 18 which in turn includes a free terminal edge 20.

As is best illustrated in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings, the peripheral edge portion 18 is provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced reinforcing beads 21 which define valley portions along which the peripheral edge 21 contacts the outer surface 14 of the shoulder 13. Between adjacent pairs of the beads 21 is disposed a land portion 22 (FIGURES 4 and 5) defining a vent opening 23 between the outer surface 14 of the shoulder 13 and the edge 20 of each land portion 22. The combined and alternating land and valley portions 22, 21 thereby impart a generally wave-like configuration to the peripheral end portion 18 and the edge 20 of the curl '16.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 2 of the drawing which illustrates a conventional aerosol dispensing valve 25 carried by a valve cup 26 which is secured to the curl 16 by a downwardly opening annular channel 27 which is crimped radially outwardly along a peripheral portion 28 beneath the shoulder 13.

Assuming the edge 20 of the peripheral curl 16 was perfectly cylindrical as in conventional curl structures, the crimping of the valve cap 26 upon such a curl would result in the free terminal edge intimately engaging the outer surface 14 of the shoulder 13 thereby virtually completely closing the annular chamber 17 of such a curl. However, in accordance with the instant invention the crimping operation in no way distorts the curl 16 which, as was heretofore noted, is reinforced by the wave-like configuration imparted thereto by the land and valley portions 22, 21, and the spaces 23 about the entire periphery of the edge portion 18 permit propellant which would be otherwise entrapped in the annular chamber 18 to vent to atmosphere in the manner indicated by the unnumbered headed arrows in FIGURES 4 and 5. Therefore, the reinforcement of the curl 16 not only prevents leakers by assuring that the curl 16 will not distort or collapse during the crimping operation, but also assures that perfectly sound aerosol cans will not be discarded as leakers due to the positive venting of propellant within the chamber 17 to atmosphere prior to the testing of filled and charged containers.

While preferred forms and arrangement of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a container end of the type particularly adapted for aerosol-type dispensing containers, the end being defined by an end panel terminating in a peripheral curl defining an opening of the end, the improvement comprising means for reinforcing said curl to prevent distortion thereof upon the crimping of a valve cup channel upon said curl, said reinforcing means being a plurality of reinforcing beads integrally formed from the material of said curl, said curl terminating in a peripheral edge portion having a free terminal edge, and said beads being formed transversely of said edge portion and spaced along said peripheral edge portion immediately adjacent and at said free edge.

2. The container end as defined in claim 1 wherein said beads impart a generally wave-like configuration to a peripheral edge portion of said curl.

3. The container as defined in claim 1 including means between peripherally adjacent pairs of said beads for venting a fluid medium which might otherwise be entrapped interiorly of said curl, said venting means being a valley portion of said curl in spaced relationship to an adjacent portion of said end panel.

4. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said beads impart a generally wave-like configuration to a peripheral edge of said curl, each head defines a valleylike edge portion of said peripheral edge, and said valleylike edge portions are more closely contiguous said end panel than adjoining land-like edge portions therebetween.

5. The container as defined in claim 4 wherein said curl is directed radially outwardly downwardly and inwardly with said peripheral edge disposed contiguous an outer surface of said end panel, and said valley-like edge portion define opening means through which a fluid medium introduced into said curl can be vented to atmosphere.

6. The container as defined in claimed 1 including means between peripherally adjacent pairs of said beads for venting a fluid medium which might otherwise be entrapped interiorly of said curl.

7. The container as defined in claim 6 including a valve cup having a channel within which is received said curl, and said channel having a peripheral edge spaced from an exterior surface of said end panel whereby a fiuid medium may be vented through said venting means and beyond said channel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 203,328 571878 Edgar 220-74 2,558,723 7/1951 Ayres 22044 X 2,643,914 6/1953 Reswick.

2,995,270 8/ 1961 Henchert 22067 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner J. R. GARRETT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 22074; 222-182 

